Re: Controls & Key Equivalents

On 2 December 2010 15:48, Eric Gorr <[email protected]> wrote:

> So, the question still remains how to appropriately let the user know there is a key equivalent when that checkbox might be in the middle of the dialog and there may also be 10 or more of them, each with their own key equivalent.

I think the approach Apple usually takes is to identify commonly-used
functionality and give it its own menu item.

For instance, in Interface Builder, Shift-Cmd-I brings up the
inspector window, but there are also individual shortcuts Cmd-1
through Cmd-4 to choose between the different inspector tabs.

For the specific example you gave: if your users constantly want to
change something in their preferences, it probably doesn't quite fit
what "preferences" are intended for.

I don't think your question is unreasonable, but in the general case I
think that tooltips are the answer. If we all standardise around that,
power users will quickly learn that although they have to use the
mouse the first time they come across an unfamiliar control, with the
very same action they can learn how to avoid needing the mouse for
that same control in future.

You should probably file an enhancement request to Apple that they
should always show key equivalents in lieu of any other tooltip, which
would foster adoption of that approach.

Best wishes,
Hamish